South Similkameen Branch 192
SOLDIERS OF THE SOUTH SIMILKAMEEN
Charles Holland Armstrong
Service No. 107055
Born: 21 January, 1890, London, ON
Died: 7 November, 1959, Los Angeles, CA, USA 1
Son of John James & Charlotte Henrietta (Holland) Armstrong
Private - 2nd Mounted Rifles
Corporal - 3rd Canadian Div., Military Mounted Policy
Charles Armstrong was born in London, Ontario to John & Charlotte Armstrong. While his brother Henry, is listed as a salesman who travelled, Charlies stayed Keremeos working as a Rancher. At the time of the his enlistment Charlie lists himself as “real estate - rancher” perhaps selling land in the Keremeos area.
Charley Armstrong was an impressive fellow at 6’ tall. He was one of the first from Keremeos to enlist and Yorkie Meher in writing home states “next I found was Corpl. Charley Armstrong. He belongs to the mounted patrol police, and is just as big and good looking as ever. You can believe me that Tucker and Armstrong are two of the finest looking soldiers I have seen in France. Tucker is bigger and it’s a standoff which is the larger, Charley or his horse. I saw him mounted and he looks fine.” Hedley Gazette, June 15, 1916.
Charley was discharged 31 May 1919 2 and returned to Keremeos where he continued ranching 3. On 15 December 1920 he married Rhoda Violet Skea 4 in Vancouver, BC. And by 1946 Charlie Armstrong had retired as a Postmaster and was living in Vancouver. In 1946 he and his wife emigrated to California 5 where his daughter lived in Van Nuys. He died in California in 1959.
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